Author: GAWDA MEDIA

Safety, Cost Savings, Efficiency, and Education For GAWDA Distributor Members By Paul Pflieger, Director of Marketing and Communications, Compressed Gas Association The Compressed Gas Association (CGA) and GAWDA have teamed up to offer a unique subscription program that benefits GAWDA distributor members. CGA is a standards developer and trade association representing member companies in all facets of the industry – manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and transporters of gases, cryogenic liquids, and related products and services. Today, CGA’s membership is made up of more than 140 companies from local distributors to multinational companies. In addition to CGA’s members, there are also more…

Thoughts Ahead of the SMC By Tom Badstubner, Marilyn Dempsey, Mike Dodd, Rick Schweitzer, and Steve Guglielmo The GAWDA Consultant Program is a GAWDA member benefit that is included as part of your member dues to the association. It is consistently rated as one of the most valuable member benefits that GAWDA provides. Between the four of them, GAWDA’s consultants bring more than 100 years of industry-specific experience to the association. Thank you to Tom Badstubner, GAWDA’s FDA and Medical Gases Consultant, Marilyn Dempsey, DHS, EPA and OSHA Consultant, Mike Dodd, DOT Consultant, and Rick Schweitzer, Government Affairs and…

GAWDA members will have to battle through a slowdown in the second half of the year. By Steve Guglielmo and Brian Beaulieu Following three tumultuous years marked by outside influences on the business community, 2023 will see a return to a sense of normalcy in 2023. However, with that normalcy comes the prospect of a slowdown in the second half of the year. We had the opportunity to speak with GAWDA’s Chief Economist and President and CEO of ITR Economics Brian Beaulieu about what GAWDA members can expect this year. Check out the full first quarter forecast on pages 58…

By Ken Thompson Dating back many years, our trade association has always used the early months of the arriving New Year to offer business forecasts for the following twelve months. The practice falls back to the Penton Publishing Welding Design & Fabrication editions, continuing with GAWDA Media as it serves the NWSA and GAWDA sequencing. Suppliers and distributors alike deployed every method from an index finger searching for the prevailing wind, to sophisticated analysis of changing markets, footprint sensitive activities, and new and changing business models, products, and services. For the public companies among our mix, these forecasting activities became…

By Richard Gottwald, President and CEO, The Compressed Gas Association The Compressed Gas Association is now heading into its 110th Year in 2023. To put that into perspective, CGA has been around for 20 United States Presidents, the first long distance telephone service, the creation of the first moving assembly line, the discovery of penicillin, the creation of the entire U.S. Space Program, and so much more. Over that time, CGA’s members have persevered through wars, the ever-mercurial economy, and global pandemics. Not only have they persevered, but they have also played essential roles in the safety and security of…

Resilient, Positive, and Increasingly Automated By Gary Konarska, Executive Director and CEO of the American Welding Society (AWS) If the attendance and attitude at FABTECH 2022 is an indication of what to expect in 2023, the U.S. welding industry has a strong outlook despite a muted economic forecast. FABTECH 2022, held Nov. 8 – 10 in Atlanta, had a positive vibe among the approximately 30,000 attendees. Just like you can physically feel arc characteristics when welding, visitors felt a palpable energy and excitement at the show. Every person to whom I spoke had a positive experience, welcoming the opportunity to…

By Dirk Beveridge Recently, I attended the GAWDA Annual Convention in San Diego. I was fortunate to hear Bob Ewing, President at Red Ball Oxygen Co., and Past President of GAWDA, speak on the real crisis confronting independent, family and employee-owned distribution businesses — what has been coined as the “Silver Tsunami.” As baby boomers reach retirement age, we are seeing what economists predicted years ago — a profound and disruptive force on our country’s workforce. As evident in the dwindling labor pool, our industries face an uncertain future without this institutional knowledge. Bob addressed this and more to a…

As part of its continued push to help GAWDA members get the most out of their membership dues in the association and stay on the front lines of emerging industry trends and hot-button issues, GAWDA has several volunteer committees devoted to specific areas of the industry. The volunteer committees include: Government Affairs, Human Resources, Industry Partnering, Insurance Trustees, Leadership Development, Member Services, Safety, Women of Gases and Welding, and Young Professionals. This feature in Welding & Gases Today will update readers on the latest news and events from each committee. We thank all the committee chairs for their help and…

After another record-setting year in 2022, GAWDA looks to carry its momentum into 2023. President Robert Anders laid out his vision for the year from the stage at the Annual Convention in San Diego. He vowed to “live every day with intentionality” and challenged those in attendance to do the same. The GAWDA Board of Directors sets the tone for the membership throughout the year. Our volunteer leaders are on the front lines of the industry and can take the issues facing our industry and help to craft an effective strategy for the association. Members of the Board of Directors…

By Paul Bernier, ASP We all understand that when welding outdoors or in well-ventilated areas, the fumes created usually dissipate and are eliminated. But what about working indoors during the winter? With rising energy costs, weld shops need to conserve heat in the building, while keeping employees safe from weld fumes. Mitigation systems can be expensive, but proper ventilation is a necessity for the safety and comfort of the work environment. Fortunately, as a distributor, we can supply our customers with everything needed for PRODUCT. Weld fumes introduce carcinogenic toxins to the lungs. Depending on what material is being welded,…